Wavelength
/ˈweɪv.leŋkθ/noun
The distance between successive crests of a wave, or a figurative state of shared understanding.
Did you know?The figurative sense of being “on the same wavelength” comes from radio and physics language, where actual wave patterns became a metaphor for mental and emotional alignment.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
wafian
“to fluctuate, move back and forth”
Old English
OE
hlenc
“link, chain, ring”
Middle English
English
wave
“a moving swell or undulation of water”
19th Century
English
wavelength
“the distance between corresponding points on successive waves”
20th Century
English
on the same wavelength
“in harmony or mutual understanding”